Swing

[bob smith]

Is Swing still pretty much the standard for Java graphics? Or has it finally been replaced by something better?

 

[markspace]

Is Swing still pretty much the standard for Java graphics? Or has it
finally been replaced by something better?

Swing is still your only real choice, as far as I know. JavaFX is up
can coming, but to quote Gertrude Stein, "there is no there there."

JavaFX appears to only be about half baked; you can do some things with
it, but not everything Swing can do. It's not really a mature platform
yet. Still worth knowing about for a Java developer, as Oracle could
make it ready just about any time now.

 

[Arne Vajhøj]

Is Swing still pretty much the standard for Java graphics? Or has it finally been replaced by something better?

Swing is the safe choice as it is mature and has been part of Java SE
for about a decade.

If you want more native look and feel and can live with only support
on major desktop platforms then you can go for SWT.

If you want a modern (*) GUI development platform and can live with
only support on major desktop platforms then you can go for JavaFX.

As JavaFX is planned to be part of Java SE 8, then if you are looking
at long term, then JavaFX seems as something you need to look into.

*) Newer does not guarantee better, but given that SUN/Oracle (JavaFX),
Adobe (Flex) and MS (WPF & SL) all went for the model with XML markup
and code, then maybe it is better!

Arne

 

[Roedy Green]

Is Swing still pretty much the standard for Java graphics? Or has it finally been replaced by something better?

Oracle is pushing JavaFX, but I don't think it will go anywhere. It
does not integrate. So Swing is it for now.

 

[Jeff Higgins]

Oracle is pushing JavaFX, but I don't think it will go anywhere. It
does not integrate. So Swing is it for now.

I've been spending some time exploring JavaFX.
Will you please expand on your comment that
[JavaFX] does not integrate?

 

[Arne Vajhøj]

"Roedy Green" wrote in message


Doesn't integrate??? With what exactly?

Roedy probably just made it up.

You should not be surprised if you never get an an answer.

JavaFX is just another Java
API, is now included as part of the JDK (as of 7 Update 6),
interoperates seamlessly with Swing, works with all standard Java SE
packages, works well with other JVM-based languages and has some very,
very impressive features.

JavaFX is 10 years newer than Swing and it shows.

If you want to develop new GUI apps with Java
then JavaFX is a "no brainer" as they say in the states.

Swing will hang around for a long time yet but is not being actively
developed by Oracle anymore and good luck trying to get any bugs in it
fixed. They are pouring an enormous amount of resources into JavaFX and
rightly so - it's great technology.

IMHO you'd be nuts to start a new project with Swing instead of FX.

JavaFX is certainly worth considering.

But one may have a need to support a platform where JavaFX is not
available yet.

Arne

 

[markspace]

(so no JIT as executable memory is not supported on iOS or
Metro for that matter)

Just curious: Metro = Windows 8? Because there's a few other Metros
floating around, and Microsoft has officially dropped the name Metro for
their new OS.

 

[Arne Vajhøj]

"Arne Vajhøj" wrote in message


We you are probably right but it's just such a ridiculous comment as one
of JavaFX's strongest selling points is its ability to integrate.
Perhaps Roedy is thinking of the old JavaFX versions 1.x when it wasn't
a Java API and relied on a proprietary new language named JavaFX
Script. JavaFX 2.x is completely different and, as I said, integrates
with anything JVM-based.

Even JavaFX 1.x could integrate with Swing and Java code.

Yes, it is based on a completely new hardware accelerated graphics
engine named Prism and new windowing toolkit named Glass. It is
feature-rich and fast. The properties and binding framework on its own
is worth the price of admission. The number of standard controls is
growing constantly and includes a WebKit-based WebView control that
supports HTML 5 and CSS 3 and JavaScript, a Canvas control similar to
HTML 5 Canvas, video and audio playback controls, a vast array of
charts, animations and transitions and a very good set of more
common/basic widgets for form development. And if they aren't enough,
there are several ways to roll your own. Features coming up in the next
major release (which will be named JavaFX 8.0 as it is now aligned with
JDK versions) include full 3D support.

Do you work for Oracle JavaFX marketing?



Well - it is newer and the split in FXML and Java code is very nice.

To some extent it can be viewed as the equivalent of going from servlet
to JSP to output HTML.

As of Java 7 Update 6 JavaFX is now supported on Windows (at least
Windows XP, Windows 2008, Windows 7), MacOS X and Linux and also runs on
some ARM based systems like Raspberry Pi. In addition, Oracle is doing
a significant amount of work on getting it to run on iOS and Android and
have demonstrated it on these platforms several times in recent months.

Yes.

But there are still a few using other platforms.

And a lot that is stuck on older Java versions.

For various reasons.

But I agree that if one has the choice then JavaFX should be
preferred over Swing.

Arne

 

[Arne Vajhøj]

Just curious: Metro = Windows 8? Because there's a few other Metros
floating around, and Microsoft has officially dropped the name Metro for
their new OS.

I suspect he means WP8 not Win8.

Arne

 

[markspace]

I suspect he means WP8 not Win8.

OK, so again please excuse my acronym ignorance, but what is WP8?
WordPerfect 8?

 

[Arne Vajhøj]

OK, so again please excuse my acronym ignorance, but what is WP8?
WordPerfect 8?

Windows Phone 8

Arne